Batman: The Broken Mirror
by jmk778
Summary: This story takes place 5 yrs after the whole Arkham Knight story happened. A lot has changed in those 5 yrs and a lot has stayed the same. Biggest change a mysterious Batman is running around causing some trouble is it Bruce? Did he survive in the end, or is there something more going on? It's my first time so suggestions are welcome, hope you enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

Five years ago the unthinkable happened. The whole damned city was evacuated turned in to a ghost town all by the hand on one man, one mad man the Scarecrow. He had found a way to make his fear toxin stronger than ever. We had to make the choice to get everyone out get them as far away as we could. We played into his hand it was all part of his plan that maniac wasn't looking to just infect the city it was the whole east coast he was looking to get. It took one man to stop it all and in the fight he himself got exposed. The way things went down I'm still not sure how he was able to keep from going crazy himself.

But then again there isn't many people like him. The Batman, he was the only one that could stop this whole mess in the process he got caught his identity exposed to the whole city everyone knew he was Bruce Wayne now. Even still he did what he had to and stopped Scarecrow, he tied up loose ends and what happened next I still can't explain. With the press and just about everyone else that made it back to the city gathered like vultures outside his home, Batman or well Bruce walked in the front door then an explosion nothing left but ashes I guess he did it to protect those he cared for. I looked all over the place but never found a body, his or his butlers maybe the explosion was so powerful it left nothing but those ashes smoldering remains of Wayne Manor I just wish he could have told me what the plan was, if that explosion was his cause or if someone got to him with out anyone knowing. I'm not sure who could have if it was that everyone that could have wanted him dead after finding out who he was got locked up so maybe it was just some plan he had if his identity ever got exposed.

But still even after all that 5 years later we still get lower common thugs that get brought in claiming it was Batman who got them I don't know if its true or not you usually get wild stories when certain thugs get brought in, but still the way things were handled or in their cases wrapped up the rope even the bat at the end of the rope all point to him, of course it could just be some copy cat that's wanting to get a name for himself but either way its just the lower level kind criminals that's out now seems like all the big guns have packed it up since Batman's been gone which is good for me finally we get some peace on the streets with only small crimes, hell I'll take the small ones over the big elaborate ones.

"But why am I telling you what you already know" Jim Gordon couldn't help but smirk to himself a little while talking to the two heroes in front of him, Dick Grayson who now goes by the name Nightwing had came back to Gotham once he got word of what was going on and the strange sightings that had been reported. The other one Tim Drake, who happened to be married to the commissioner's daughter had in recent time dropped the Robin name for something a little different to Red Robin he really didn't feel that he should take up the Batman name even though he would have been well qualified to do so, besides in his mind he figured that if anyone should take that job it would have to be Dick he spent more time with Batman so he would have been even more ready for the job.

The two former sidekicks looked at each other with a knowing gaze and as they turned back to the Commissioner Nightwing spoke "So how about telling us something new then, what's all this talk I've heard about Batman running around being rougher than sandpaper to some of the people you brought in?" Jim shook his head and rubbed his eyes "Well not all of them have been just beat and left alive for us to take in." He took a moment to let it sink in for both of them the magnitude of what he just said. "Wait a minute your telling me you have found bodies out on the street, how exactly do you know that it would be someone running around in a bat suit? Couldn't it be some random person who is doing it?" Nightwing asked puzzled by what he was hearing all of them knew that it couldn't be him but what if it was it wasn't till recent that Tim had told Dick about what the whole titan thing with the Joker and how it had some effect on those who got the infected blood like Bruce, in the back of Dicks mind he couldn't help but wonder what if something had happened and maybe in his attempt to cover up all the cave and everything in it that maybe if Bruce did survive could there have been a bit of the Joker was left and if that was the case what were they going to do?

11:00pm

Run, run, run. His footsteps echo all through the ally, his heart races almost pounding out of his chest. Thoughts running through his mind knowing he heard the rumors, the rumors that "he" had returned or never left. But no it can't be him I saw it on the news when it happened the bastards home blew up he can't still be alive after that. Stopping leaning up against a dumpster the glow of the full moon casting shadows reflecting off the puddles on the wet concrete, breath ragged, sharp almost shallow. Maybe it was just a trick of the light a shadow nothing more but if that's all it was then why am I running why am I full of fear, sure its easy to get spooked by a shadow or something you think you saw out the corner of your eye but damn it, if its just a shadow then why has it been following me. "Oh yeah, in and out Joe, it'll be a quick job he said." The lone figure scoffs at his own words. Yeah I had to just believe it would be that simple, that quick, that easy "No Batman, no problem no one will miss the necklace." Joe nothing more than a low level thug, his main thing was breaking and entering that's it nothing more, regardless of what he was feeling his contact was right it was easy but yeah that shadow thing can't really plan for that. Joe looks down at the string of pearls in his hand what he was sent to take, nothing more than just pearls pretty ironic he though to himself he knew what the irony was in it, they belonged to a mother though no one was hurt, the house was empty, but yet this shadow if it really is him...well Its got to be just the shadows Joe kept thinking.

Lost in his thoughts all of a sudden a shadowy figure comes before him. Frozen the figures eyes glow an unearthly red. Joe feels his pulse quicken, his whole body stiff unable to move the only thought in his head, the only thing through all the madness of the situation screams it can't be him, it just can't. "P-Please I-I'm sorry." Panic fills his voice if the stories he has heard recently was true then this wont end well for him. He drops the pearls at the shrouded figures feet hoping that will smooth the situation over.

"T-There, the-that's all I-I took nothing more, h-honest I didn't hurt anyone I was just..." The shrouded figures hand clamps over his mouth only thing heard is nothing more than just the muffled cry's and pleas of forgiveness for something as small as a break in. He claws at the figures chest trying to get away somehow someway, but all he can see are those eyes those red glowing eyes, and the unmistakable outline of bat both in the points on the head and the emblem on the chest. "Oh god, it is him." the thoughts running through his head, a head now clouded from the lack of oxygen "No, no, he wont kill me that's not what he does, why wont he let go." The muffled screams get louder and louder but no one could hear him even if they were right there. This gloved hand is clamped so tight even if someone was right next to him no matter how loud he screams no one would hear it through the hand over his mouth. Soon the struggle starts to slow, and then nothing Joes body slumps down to the ground and this bat creature looks down eyes glowing red, smirking at the body for a moment slowly turns and vanishes as quick as he got there as the sound of sirens start to fill the air.


	2. Chapter 2

"What the hell is going on now a days?" Gordon asked himself as he and the rest of the investigation team of the GCPD surveyed the crime scene. "I thought all the crazy crimes were long past, this really shouldn't be happening not now not with out Batman here." Gordon crouched down over looking the body of the thug named Joe, just a simple common thief nothing more what could have prompted anyone to do this all the high level threats are all locked up Gordon himself even had Bullock and Montoya double check hell even triple check the files and all the feeds they could look at that connected the GCPD to the new Arkham building they had to build, space was running low in the main prisons and there had to be a place to put all the more dangerous ones alone so they couldn't interact with anyone else or even try to cause a riot.

But what happened here didn't add up and Gordon could see it, hell any rookie on the force could see that. This wasn't about what was stolen seemed almost random in away maybe too random, either that or it was a set up for the poor guy. After finding out who the victim was checks were made into his history, he had a family wife, 2 kids. The worst thing he had done was an assault just from a botched break in, got into a fight with the home owner ole Joe had the worst of it picked the wrong house. Other than that as far as criminals go he was far from the worst, just didn't make sense for the first time in 5 yrs this is the worst to have happened to anyone here in Gotham, sure there was the others but they were all alive still this one went too far the only thing left with the body besides the necklace he stole was something that unsettled the old Commissioner something familiar something that only one person could use at least in the style of the particular object. The shape is a bat sharp edges, sharp enough to cut through anything and there it was lodged in the chest of this man, what the coroner said it was done after the death a message of some kind maybe who knows at this point all that I know is I wish Batman was here, then again he may already be here Gordon though to himself holding up the sharpen weapon looking at it wondering if this really did come from Batman the same man that fought to save this city.

"Man this gives me the creeps." Dick Grayson chuckled a little hearing Tim as they walked along the old site of the place they once called home it was a strange thing to both of them Dick just didn't want to let on that even he was creeped out by it. "Why hasn't anyone done anything to clear up all this mess anyway, its been 5 yrs city's don't normally just leave things like this do they?" Tim asked stepping over a small pile of rubble looking out around the area seeing if there is anything out of the ordinary well more so than 5 yr old rubble.

Dick stopped reflecting for a moment remembering back to his first time coming to the mansion for the first time. It wasn't long after his own parents had been killed that Bruce had adopted him, Dick figured it had to be because of how his path mirrored his own. Bruce lost his parents at a young age he wanted to be a positive light in his broken childhood who better than someone who had to deal with the same pain as you to help guide you show you right from wrong, to even show him that when we finally found who killed my parents that its better to not take his life it wouldn't bring what I lost back and it would have made me no better than him for what he did.

"Hey Dick, you there?" Shaking his head breaking his thoughts and turning his focus on to Tim. "Yeah, sorry about that." Looking around from where he was standing not really sure what he was looking for but sure that if anything was there they would find it. "They said it was some kind of reminder, what one man did for the whole city to remind everyone that there is always hope no matter how dark things look there is always something or someone there breaking through the darkness, showing everyone the light. So that's why none of this has been cleared out. Though I must admit they could have done something better for a monument to Bruce than this. But I guess showing the sacrifice he made would be enough to remind everyone of what he did."

Nodding in agreement Tim spoke up again. "So, what are we looking for anyway?" Running his fingers through his hair, the wind was starting to pick up more than likely getting ready to blow in a storm no doubt. "Well." Dick started, "To be honest I'm not really sure. I guess for whats been going on this would be as good a place to start looking for answers, just check around the grounds here and see if there is anything out of place or well strange, as strange as you can find I mean this is strange enough even with out some crazy guy running around possibly in the name of Batman...you know we may have our work cut out for us trying to find something strange with all that."

Shaking his head with a little chuckle, Tim was always so surprised how Dick could find humor in the strangest of situations. But still, this was a odd thing to think about someone out there is running around seriously hurting people and now from what Jim has told us this person has now killed someone. I'm not entirely sure why, whoever this is would go that far. Maybe the ones he hurt was some message part of some sick game he is playing with us all, still we got to find out what this is all about.

"So, something strange huh." Talking to himself Dick was stepping over rubble pile after rubble pile, slowly making his way over to where the hidden ground entrance was to the bat cave. Like he told Tim, he wasn't sure what they were looking for but he had a feeling they would know when they found it, and what better place to start than at the hole in the ground that gave Bruce his start. He had heard the story so many times, about how when Bruce was young he was out on the grounds and fell through a sink hole, basically the best way to describe it. That hole had been filled sometime after it, But since Bruce knew where it was all he had to do to have a quick exit or a sneaky way in, it was just covered with some wooden boards and covered with some dirt. Pretty nice hidden way in if I say so myself. Crouching down he started to sift through some of the dirt and rubble, when something caught his eye there was one particular spot on the grounds that was completely clear of any dirt or rubble, even more so surprising was the fact that it hadn't caved in. Stepping closer Dick looked around just to be sure that no one was still there, watching something he had picked up in all his time of working with Batman, know your surroundings look for any possible hiding spots, make sure that no one else is around. There wasn't anything that was setting off any alarms in his head, slowly he steps closer just in case, sure it hadn't caved in but who's to know when it might decided to give way, and he wasn't ready to find out for himself if it was time. Looking down Dick expected to be staring down into darkness, even on the brightest days looking down into the cavern that would lead you to a tunnel into the bat cave no light could show for as deep as it was, you could shine the strongest of lights down there and it wouldn't even reach the bottom. But what he saw, froze him and it wasn't even the chill in the air that did it, he wasn't sure how to explain it but there was a light down there as if it was placed there for someone to find their way back out, he didn't know what it meant or what it was for, maybe someone came a long and started to snoop around down there after all these years, but there wasn't but one way to find out. "Hey, Tim get over here I think I just found what we are looking for."

"So, basically we are following the rabbit down the rabbit hole?" Tim asked. Dick just shook his head and started to look around for a good anchor point to secure a line, even though there was a way in he wasn't sure if there would be any other way out so better to be safe than sorry. "Hey what are we going to do if someone is down there, you know like someone that shouldn't know that we know whats down there and how to get down there?"

Dick thought for a moment, that is a good point he though Tim has a married life now and out of all of them only himself and Barbra was not found out about working with Batman, if someone is down there that's not friend then it would be bad only thing Dick could think of for them to do was to make a quick disguise. "You got your shades?" Confused Tim looked at Dick, "My what?"

"Your shades, sunglasses come on i'm not using no strange language." Tim pulled out his glasses and put them on. "What good will this do?" he asked "Not like they give off that much coverage."

"True, but it will give enough, just be sure to work your voice some, that way if its someone we don't know down there we will at least have some coverage." Nodding that made sense, it would work for a quick and safe disguise. "Alright, you ready?" Dick asked both had already got themselves secured on the ropes they had brought, Tim nodded and they both started to descend down the entrance. Once on the ground next to the lantern they had found, they both quickly took note of their surroundings making sure nothing is hidden away in the shadows. Something that was picked up and held on too that was used regularly in their own crime fighting ways. Slowly they proceeded ahead, it was almost like riding a bike the path to the main part of the cave was still in tacked which was kind of surprising for the kind of blast that happened and for how many years that had passed.

The sounds of distant drips of water and the echo screeches of bats in the cave filled their ears, pressing on forward they didn't know what was going to be waiting for them once they got to the main part of the cave but they were both on guard. As the two got closer and closer to the main cave they could hear someone talking, not to anyone that was replying but to himself, that kind of set off bells in their head who could have found this spot and what kind of mind set was this person in. Once at the entrance of the cave from the tunnels Dick stopped Tim as he looked out to the area of the bat computer where the unmistakable red glow from a helmet as Dick stepped out with Tim following the only thing Dick said "Jason?" His name echoed through the now almost empty cave. With out looking from the bat computer Jason Todd also know as Red Hood replied "Well, I was wondering when you two boy scouts were going to show up, with everything going on I'm surprised you didn't get here sooner. Better late than never I guess, specially with what I got to tell you." The two former sidekicks looked at each other both confused and interested in what the rouge vigilante had to say, could he know whats been going on or is he the one behind it all. Neither knew the answer but they both knew this was going to be interesting either way.

* * *

 **I do not own any of the characters in this story they are owned by DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros.**

 **I am just a fan with an idea.**


	3. Chapter 3

"So fellas, I guess I'm the last person you thought you'd see here huh."

Jason Todd smirked at the shocked look on the two's faces. Jason had harbored a grudge against batman back when the whole scarecrow insednet happend, but it was batman that was able to get to him help break what was "broken" so he could find a way through that dark cloud of what had happend to him at the hands of the Joker, and what ever had happend for him to get involved with someone as crazy and twisted as scarecrow. Though his methods of what he called justice wasn't something Batman or anyone else approved of the fact was he still got things done. And with Batman gone there was a lot of loose ends he was taking care of, his persona of the Red Hood seemed fitting in away seemed ther was always a river of red that was left in his path. For as butal as he could be no innocents was ever harmed even with his wild useage of guns and other deadly weapons.

"You could say that again, what are you doing here anyway Jason?"

"Dick, I'm here for the same reason you are believe it or not."

"Wait." Tim had finally spoke up in all this, still confused as to why Jason was here he couldn't help but ask what he was sure Dick wanted to ask too.

"Your not behind all this are you, all this killing running around as Batman destroying what he had built by doing good for all the people he saved?"

Jason couldn't help but smile, for as different as the three of them were they all had one thing in common at one point they all were Robin, he knew his time as Robin was not as smooth as the others sure they all had things that went on in their lives. But he had been caught by the Joker and for years he had to endure beating after beating all while hearing that laugh..oh that laugh still echos through his head sometimes. When Jason started out he wasn't the best kid, getting into trouble, trying to steal cars, rims, anything that wasn't nailed down he would take, that chance meeting with Batman came almost as an accident back then he thought maybe working with him he could shed that rage and anger he carried around with him, believe what Tim and Dick did. But you lose that after being forgotten or at least what he had believe, before learing the truth still that hardens you to where you lose that innocents, you quickly realize that for those who do bad you need to do just as bad to send a message, hear what Tim was saying for a brief moment brought back some flicker of the old him the younger Jason that thought he could put it all behind him at the side of Batman, but just as quick he snapped himself back out of that.

"I remember feeling that way, but yeah Tim thats why I'm here obviously I'm not behind it, be kind of foolish to be here if I was. But as much as I'd like to think Bruce had come around to my way of thinking, we all know its not him, and its pretty obvious to see too I'm sure you guys have noticed it too right?"

The two former Robins excanged glances at each other at what Jason just said to them.

"Ummm sure he is beating people and has killed, thats not hard to notice." Dick was looking at the screen of the bat computer as he spoke. Seening an image of the fake Batman on it not seeing anything that jumped out as some tell of what else there could be that Jason could be talking about.

"Yeah there is that, but look at the suit all those spikes, on the gloves, on the knuckles hell even on the tip of his boots." Pressing play on the computer the image started to move. "I hacked into the security camera, you can tell by the movements they are pourpousful, direct and full of force, but they are not smooth. Bruce as we all know can move as if its nothing to use a bad pun, he could move as steady as a stream. This guy whoever he is, is throwing punches like he is towing an anchor, still there is force in his hits but he defenatly didn't look up any Batman fight videos."

Looking at the screen Dick and Tim could see what Jason was saying was true, this guy was almost moving in slow motion, the other though going through their minds was why didn't we think of this before to look at his movements.

"So any idea whats up with the glowing eyes he has?"

"No, I got no idea about that honestly Dick I think its just for show, everyone he has attacked nothing has shot from them or anything, Bruce could have done that would have scared them good, speaking of him I might add too there is a clip of sound we can hear his voice."

"Really, does it sound like Bruce?"

"To me no, obviously no one can do Batman like Batman, heck even Dick over there couldn't the few times he stood in for Bruce, we all know the stories about Gordon knowing you wasn't the real one."

Rolling his eyes at the comment Dick looked at Jason. "Yeah sure, but I thought I did pretty good though, but anyway lets hear this clip."

After a few moments the audio came through "I'm not the one your used too, I'm going to cleanse this city in away he never could, I'll start at the bottom and work my way to the top."

"Sounds like this guy has some sort of plan in play here"

"Exactly what I was thinking, but I can't seem to pin point the voice though, obviously its not Bruce, but for some reason it sounds familar to me." Jason shut the player down and looked over at Tim and Dick "Thats why I've been here, I was hoping that the computer would have soemthing to go off of and tell me who the voice is but I got nothing, I'm thinking that this thing is going to have us doing it Batman's way with the sneaky stuff and I guess I'll have to go invest in some silencers."

"Not exactly the batman way is it Jason?" Dick asked looking back up at the screen

"It's not, but then again I'm not batman."

 _11:00pm That night_

The cold air whipped around him as he looked out in to the city from his perch. Each breath another cloud of fog would appear, If anyone had seen him up there they would have thought nothing of it, well maybe except for the glowing eyes. He thought it was a good touch something the other batman would never have used letting those he was following see him, the other one liked to do it in the quiet, the shadows, not being seen. But this wasn't Bruce Wayne, I'm not Bruce Wayne he would tell himself that every so often though he wouldn't say it out loud he kind of liked it all running around in the suit, maybe even had the thought of doing good like the one that used to use this symbol. No that wouldn't do for what he was wanting to do, Bruce had built up an image, one of good a dark warrior who would come out at the right time and stop those that would do wrong. But he wasn't looking to do good, or stop anyone that was doing wrong. Sure there was the few that were in the wrong that felt his hand end them either getting them in the hospital or worse, to him he didn't care how he did it, a message was a message either way and just another stain on the mans name that was plastered all over the city, while he thought about all of this the silence was shattered by his own deep gritty laugh, Thats when through the laughing a voice cut through making this imposter clad in his own version of a twisted batsuit turned to see who was there.

"You are he who parades around smearing the filth and dirt upon ones name who had done good for this city, his city." The mans words were strong and to the point still surrounded by smoke there was a hint of a glow from a flame flickering around him.

"Who the hell are you?"

"That is the question that many have of you, you may run around in his facade pretending to be a champion of the night."

Looking at the figure the imposter bat now speaking through gritted teeth his anger growing and pointed right at this mystyrious figure. "I'm only going to ask this once more, who the hell are you, I know all the players and your not on the board."

"I have always been on, as you say, the board watching in the darkness waiting biding my time, till I have deemed it right to reveal myself to the blasphemer. And now is that time, trust I know you want a fight but on my time not yours blasphemer."

"I don't think you know how this works pal, you dont tell me when, I tell you when."

As the imposter leaps for the hooded figure a blade extends from his gauntlet bathed in fire and in one swift move the figure impailes the ground with it iginting a circle of flame around him causing the imposter to hold back on his attack. Standing there the features of the figure can be seen more clear, clad in red and black with gold trem on his cloak and gold bathed on his gauntlets the figure looked more imposing with the fire around him. The one who stood before the imposter was the one known as Azrael of the Order of St. Dumas, and assoicated as the angel of death.

"I am Azrael, of the Order of St. Dumas, but for your blasphemy you will come to know me as the angel of death, for you and imposter have been destroying a name that should not be in the shape your putting it in. For I have been tasked with putting an end to your wicked game, it has been fortold that at my hand I will drive my sword into your black heart erasing all you have done, but on my time. And that time is yet at hand for this is just the message untill the divines say it is so only then will you be judged for your crimes both on the name of Wayne and this city and on the batman." As soon as he appeared he vanished in a mix of smoke and fire leaving the imposter to think about everything that was said.

Chuckling to himself he watched the smoke disapate as the wind blew.

"Looks like I'll be getting to pluck the wings of an angel." As the words escaped his lips they formed a almost crooked smile.

"I'll be looking forward to this."

And with that the imposter leaped off the rooftop not looking back disappearing in the night like a shadow. But not far away from that roof watching from a scope seeing the whole meeting between this imposter and Azrael was Gordon. As surprised as he was to see Azrael show up he felt now that if that imposter was going to be stopped things looked to be in their favor now. But still he wanted to have his own meeting with the imposter and Gordon knew just where to go to get his attention.


End file.
